Process of effecting reduction and producing ferrosilicon.



E. A. BYRNES.

` PBGG'ESS 0F EPFBGTING RBDUGTION AND PRODUCING PERROSILIGUN.

Patented Jam 21, 1913.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, `190'T.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

EUGENE A. BYRNES, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR T0ELECTRO METALLURGICAL COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFWEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF EFFECTING REDUCTION ANI) PRODUCING- FERROSILICON.

Specification of vLetters Patent Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

.application filed .rune 2s, 1907. serial N0. 380,934.

To all whom it may concern yBe it known that I, EUGENE A. BYRNES, acitizen of the United States, residing Vat Washington, in the Districtof Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inProcesses of Effecting Reduction and Producing F errosilicon, of whichthe following is a specification.

According to this process, refractory metal-bearing ores and compounds,specifinals are preferably of molten ferrosilicon,

one being a ring surrounding the upper end of the resistor-column andthe vother a body of the metallic product beneath the lower end of thiscolumn. As reduction proceeds I the excess slag and metal are tapped outand at its upper end a hellend-hopper charging mechanism 2. Radialair-inlets 3 open into its lower end and an outlet 4 for waste gasesextends through the side. Beneath the preheater is the electric heater,comprising a downwardly-converging bosh 5 surrounded by a water-jacket6, and a water-cooled metal hearth 7 having an electric connection A8.Supported on this hearth is-a body 9 of molten metal, specificallyferrosilicon, constituting one electric terminal: At the upper end ofthe bosh 5 .is a horizontal annular lrecess 10, opening into a dependingannular recess 11 which is closed at its lower end by a water-'cooledmetal ring 12 having an electric coinnect-ion 13` Supaorted on this ringis an annular body 14 o molten metal, specifically ferrosilicon,constituting the other' electric,terminal.v Superposed tapholes 15,

16 for slag and metal respectively extend laterally through the-bosh 5.Supported in this bosh is a vertical resistor-column 17, specifically ofa silicate slag, extending at its upper end into the recesses 10, 11, incontact with the molten electric terminal 14,

and resting at its lower end upon the molten electric terminal 9.

In using this furnace l to carry out the process, the charge-body1,8,.consisting for example of a mixture of silica, iron ore and anexcess of coal, extends downward into the molten resistor 18 and upwardinto the preheater 1. Air is supplied by the twyers 3,

lin amount suicient to burn the excess coal in the charge. The charge isthereby preheated, the waste products escaping at the top. An electriccurrent is passed through the molten resistor 17 between the moltenmetalterminals, Vthe energy-tlensity of this current increasing downward byreason of' the convergence of the bosh. Thecharge is therebyprogressively heated to the tempera ture of reduction, the zone ofreduction 0ccupying the lower portion of the molten resistor. Thereduced metal or metals subside and unite with the metal-body 9 and theslag unites with the slag-bod',L 1 7. As reduction proceeds the excessmetal and slag are tapped out and fresh charge-mixture `is ing one.portion of said body with a hot gas -and another substantial portionwith a hot liquid.

2. The process of heating a porous or granular body, which consists inpermeating one portion of said body with hot gases and anothersubstantial portion with an electrically-heated liquid.

3. T he process of heating a vertical column of granular material, whichconsists in passing ligt gases through the upper portion of said `columnand electrically heating a liquid subinerging a substantial lowerportion of said column.

4. The process of heating a vertical column of granular materials, whichconsists in passing hot gases upward through the upper portion of saidcolumn' and passing an electric current of downwardly-increasingenergy-density through a liquid submerging a substantial lower portionof said column. 5

5. The process of reducing a granular charge, which consists indisposing said charge in a vertical column with a substantiallower'portion submerged in a molten liquid, passing hot products ofcombustion through the upper portion of said column, and electricallyheating said liquid.

6. The process o f reducing .a granular charge, which consists indisposing said charge in a vertical column with a substantial lowerportion submerged in amolten liquid, passing hot products of combustionthrough the upper portion of said column, electrically heating saidliquid, withdrawing the reduction-products, and supplying additionalcharge-materials to the upper end of said column as it gravitatesdownward.

7. The process of effecting reduction,y

which consists. in partially submerging a substantial portion of thecharge in a molten resistor, directly heating the unsubmerged portion byproducts of combustion from an external source, and heating thesubmerged portion,by passing an electric current through said resistor.

8. The process of effecting reduction, which consists in partiallysubmerging a substantial portion of the charge in a molten resistor,directly heating the unsubmerged portion'jby products of combustion froman external source, and heating the l submergedportionby passing anelectric current of increasing energy-density through said resistor.

9. The process of eii'ecting reduction,

which consists in partially submerging a substantial portion of thecharge in a molten resistor, directly heating the unsubmerged portion byproducts of combustion from an external source, heating the submergedportion by passing an electriccurrent through said resistor, removingthe eX- cess slag and reduced metal,.and adding to the charge asreduction proceeds.

10. The process of eii'ecting reduction,

which consists in partially submerging a reduced metal, and adding tothev charge as reduction proceeds.

11. 'lghe process of eiecting reduction, which .consists in heating oneportion of the charge by combustion and another substantial portion byan electric current, and supplying more combustion-heat in proximity tothe electrically-heated zone and more electric-heat remote from theoombustionheated zone.

12. The.` process of effecting reduction,

which consists in progressively heating the from the zone of reductionthrough oneportion of the charge, submerging another substantial portionof the chargegin a molten resistor, and passing through said resistor anelectric current of energy-density increasing toward the zone ofreduction.

14. The process of heating a molten re` sistor, which consists inpassingan electric current non-horizontally through the resistor betweenterminals of molten metal in contact with the resistor at differentheights. 15. The process of heating a stationary molten verticalresistor-column, which consists in passing an electric current throughsaid resistor between an upper terminal surrounding and in contact withsaid column and a lower terminal beneath said column.

16. The process of `heating a molten ver-A tical resistor-column, whichconsists in passing an electric current through said resistor between'anupper terminal surrounding said column and a lower terminal beneath saidcolumn, said terminals being of molten metal.

17. The process of effecting reduction, which consists in supporting thecharge in a moltenvertical resistor-column, and passing an electriccurrent through said resistor between molten terminals at its upper andlower ends.

18. The process of producing ferrosilicon, y

Awhich consists in submerging a charge containing a silicon compound, asource of iron, and a reducing agent in a silicate slag resistor, andpassing an electric current through said resistor,

19. The process of producing a ferrosilicon alloy, which consists inpreheating a charge containing a silicon compound, a source of iron, andcoal, by burnin a portion of said coal, submerging the preheated chargein a silicate slag resistor, and passing an electric current throughsaid resistor.

20. The process of producing n ferrosiliexcess slag :1nd metal andadding to the. con alloy, which consists -in preheating a. charge asreduction proceeds. 1e charge containing a silicon compound, n Intestimony whereof, I aix my signusource of iron, and coal, by burning aporture in presence of two witnesses.

tion of said coni, snbmerging the preheated .EUGENE A. BYRNES. charge ina silicate slag resistor, passino an vWitnesses:

electric current through said resistor, a1 ow- CLINTON P. Towxsnnn, mgthe alloy to settle, and removing the i Cnnnmzs H. Forum.y

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing'the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent/fri. ,1.1)5l,194. grantedJanuary 21, 1913, uponrtheapplication ofEugenc A. Byrnes, of':xshington, District of Uoluln bia, for an improvement in Processes ofEti'ecting Reduction and Producing Ferroa siieo1i,ar1ei'ror appears intheprinted specification requiring correction as foilows: Pugc 2, line69, after thel word in insert the word directly; and that the Suid iLetters Patent should be rend with this correction therein that the samemuy conform to the record of the case inthe lPatent Ottica.

Signed and sealedthis 20th day of A-pril, A. D., 191,5. Y

[SEAL] J. NEWTON,

Acting ommiasz'oner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No 1,051,194.

20. The process of producing n ferrosiliexcess slag :1nd metal andadding to the. con alloy, which consists -in preheating a. charge asreduction proceeds. 1e charge containing a silicon compound, n Intestimony whereof, I aix my signusource of iron, and coal, by burning aporture in presence of two witnesses.

tion of said coni, snbmerging the preheated .EUGENE A. BYRNES. charge ina silicate slag resistor, passino an vWitnesses:

electric current through said resistor, a1 ow- CLINTON P. Towxsnnn, mgthe alloy to settle, and removing the i Cnnnmzs H. Forum.y

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing'the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent/fri. ,1.1)5l,194. grantedJanuary 21, 1913, uponrtheapplication ofEugenc A. Byrnes, of':xshington, District of Uoluln bia, for an improvement in Processes ofEti'ecting Reduction and Producing Ferroa siieo1i,ar1ei'ror appears intheprinted specification requiring correction as foilows: Pugc 2, line69, after thel word in insert the word directly; and that the Suid iLetters Patent should be rend with this correction therein that the samemuy conform to the record of the case inthe lPatent Ottica.

Signed and sealedthis 20th day of A-pril, A. D., 191,5. Y

[SEAL] J. NEWTON,

Acting ommiasz'oner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No 1,051,194.

